This invention relates generally to gasifiers and, more specifically, to methods and systems for assembling nozzles used with gasifiers.
Gasifiers convert a mixture of fuel, oxygen, steam, and/or limestone into syngas that may be used as fuel by a gas turbine engine. Within at least some known gasifiers, fuel is supplied to the gasifier via an injection nozzle that is coupled in flow communication to a fuel supply. During operation of the gasifier, the injection nozzle is exposed to high temperatures that over time may thermally damage the nozzle.
To facilitate reducing damage to gasifier nozzles, at least some known nozzles include a face plate that substantially circumscribes a discharge end of the nozzle. The face plate is configured to shield the remainder of the nozzle from the high temperatures within the gasifier. Some known nozzles also include a cooling chamber that circulates cooling fluid adjacent to the face plate to facilitate cooling the face plate. However, despite the cooling chamber, the face plate may still become damaged during operation of the gasifier. Often, depending on the severity of the damage to the face plate, the entire injection nozzle must be replaced.